#0010 My thoughts on Chromebooks
September 22, 2024
Chromebooks are e-Waste out of the box. There I said it.
It’s puzzling why many schools choose them, given that they aren’t widely used in
businesses and don’t prepare students for the professional world. While schools might be
attracted by their low cost, they’re discovering that many Chromebook models have
limited lifespans with actual expiration dates and need to be replaced frequently. This
leads to a significant amount of electronic waste. In response, some schools are
reverting to Windows-based computers.
Chromebooks generally have less powerful
hardware compared to Windows PCs or Macs. They tend to run slowly and offer no upgrade
options—most have their memory and storage soldered onto the main board, making it
impossible to upgrade. When a Chromebook becomes outdated, the only option is to buy a
new one that also has similar limitations.
Another drawback is that Chromebooks only support apps available in the Google Play
Store. You can’t download software from other websites or use physical disks as you can
with other computers. This severely limits your options. Additionally, Chromebooks have
few business applications; if the app you need isn’t available in the store, you’re out
of luck.
Chromebooks are best suited for basic tasks like web browsing, using Google Docs, and
playing simple games that don’t require much processing power. They are essentially very
lightweight computers, often described as being like a computer on training wheels—with
the key difference that you can’t remove the training wheels.
#0009 We are now listed on DISCOVER DIXON
September 18, 2024
Recently, in August, we were now listed on the Discover Dixon Website run by the Dixon,
Illinois Chamber of Commerce. They kindly provide free business listings to all area
businesses to promote commerce in the area. Meyer Computer is NOT a chamber member at
this time but MCC may join in the future.
>>
Webpage - Discover Dixon
#0008 My First Look at Self Hosted AI
September 17, 2024
As an experiment, I decided to start messing around with self-hosted AI on
Windows. I don't plan on posting any type of review or instructions here until I
understand it a lot better. I'm just scratching the surface at this point.
Why would you want to host your own AI? The most common answer is privacy. The content
you create will NOT become a part of someone else’s AI model.
If you attempt to try this yourself, you will need decent hardware for this project. As
I recall the large language model (LLM) is nearly 4 Gig. An NVIDIA graphics card is
pretty much required as this software will utilize the CUDA cores. AI works best when
you have one or more graphics cards in your system. I’m using an EVGA 3060 TI FTW which
provides decent results but there is somewhat of a lag.
There are 3 main
components that you must install. These include OOLAMA, LLAMA 3.1 and WSL. All three are
free downloads. I did the respective installs and I can confirm that it does work. I was
running short on time, so I haven’t get a chance to use it much. I will say that it
works like ChatGPT but phrasing your requests isn't as polished as ChatGPT. My ultimate
goal is to use it to help rewrite my documentation and portions of this website to make
it flow better and making it easier to read in the process.
#0007 Used Computers and Component Parts
September 16, 2024 Last Updated September 23,
2024
This
blog post was enhanced with AI on 1/08/25.
Have you ever thought about buying a used computer? At MCC, we occasionally
take in used computers, but only if they’re worth fixing up for resale. I refurbish and
upgrade these devices to make them good as new, which usually means adding more memory
or replacing the hard drive. Every device comes with a fresh installation of Microsoft
Windows 10. We can also help with things like data transfers or installing software.
This is a great option if you're looking for an affordable device to handle basic tasks
like paying bills online.
I also have a variety of used computer parts available. These items come from trades,
donations, or parts I’ve salvaged, and some are brand new old stock. It’s a great way to
get a low-cost repair or upgrade.
What’s available? You’ll find older desktop computers, memory, hard drives, routers,
fans, cables, adapters, monitors, and more. I sometimes get laptops, but they tend to
sell fast. We have a lot of equipment right now and need to clear some space!
Note: Inventory, choices, and prices will vary.
#0006 Laptops vs. Desktops
September 13, 2024
This article was rewritten from my original 2017 article.
There are advantages and disadvantages of both laptops and desktops.
Laptop Pros Portability!, The 'cool' factor!, laptops have built-in
wireless networking as a standard feature. They can go anywhere.
Laptop Cons More expensive when comparing to a desktop with similar
features, somewhat slower than desktops. Most laptops are not very expandable beyond
memory and drive upgrades. They are harder to service because they must be taken apart
and contain a much larger number of proprietary components.
Desktop Pros Less expensive when comparing to a laptop with similar
features. Typically faster than laptops, most are expandable, very easy to service,
fewer proprietary parts. Many off the shelf components can be used. Custom built
desktops are the easiest of all to service as all components are off the shelf.
Desktop Cons Lack of portability, wireless networking is not always
standard. Sometimes it must be added separately. Desktops tend NOT to be
portable.
Processors Processors are designed for desktops first. There is less
in the way of space constraints and cooling is easier. It takes the chip manufacturer
longer to develop a smaller version to fit a laptop.
Laptop Power Consumption The slower CPU's run on lower voltages which
can lengthen the battery life of the laptop. Faster CPU's consume more power but reduce
battery life. It's a trade off. The speed of the CPU also helps determine the
price.
Whats Included?
Some desktops come with a mouse and keyboard in the box. Others do not. Monitors and
printers are always separate because everyone wants something different.
Summary
Typically you can spend quite a bit more money for a laptop with 60-70% of the speed of
a desktop. Get a laptop if you want portability. Get a desktop if you want
expandability.
Meyer Computer Consulting typically sells both Hewlett Packard Business Desktops and
Business laptops. Other brands are available. The HP business line is designed to be
easier to maintain and have higher parts availability. Custom built computers are also
an option.
Click here for CUSTOM DESKTOPS
#0005 Product Reviews
September 12, 2024
If you haven't done so already, please check out the MCC review page! We
started making mini reviews of products we have either used ourselves or have
implemented for clients. The reviews are NOT sponsored, and items were acquired with our
own money. They are intended to reflect our actual experience. We'll let you know if it
was easy or difficult to use or if it met our needs. The reviews are often Last Updated
to
reflect any new experience or problem we may discover along the way.
REVIEW
PAGE
#0004 Oldest Website Recognition!
September 11, 2024
On this day of remembrance, I would like to make a quick shout out to the
oldest website I have out there. It still looks good! The Dixon, Illinois Veterans
Memorial website was a lot of fun as I was able to work with a ton of photos and
historical information. Hopefully this site can be Last Updated in the future.
Click on the tank to visit the site.
#0003 Linux Pros and Cons
September 10, 2024
PROS
Most Linux distros are totally free with the exception of RedHat and SUSE.
Most Linux software is totally free and open source. This means the actual source code
is available to anyone who wants to change the operating system.
Many Windows and Mac programs also exist for Linux, or they have a functional
equivalent.
Linux has much less demanding hardware requirements compared to Windows or
Linux.
Linux doesnt require a TPM chip. All the old computers that won't run Windows 11 work
great with Linux. You don't need to discard your old hardware.
There are dozens of Linux distros that are made for different purposes. These are just a
few examples:
MINT is for people who are familiar
with Windows. It looks and operates like like Windows all the time. If you can use
Windows desktop, you can us the Linux desktop. Please see the review of
MINT elsewhere on this
site.
KALI is for penetration testers,
white hat and black hat hackers. It comes already to go with all the software tools you
need to examine website traffic, other websites, applications and more.
Pop! OS is for gamers.
DEBIAN is very stable,
well tested and intended for ultra reliability. However updates are infrequent. Its
intended more for mission critical applications.
The list goes on and on! Each version of Linux is tailored to a specific use
case.
Most web servers use some version of Linux as it tends to be more reliable and
secure. The #1 web server software is Apache.
CONS
If your coming from a Windows environment, you will have a hell of a time trying to use
the command line with any version of Linux. It's entirely different and much more wordy.
Stuff you can do in Windows with a single command may take multiple commands in Linux.
It's not intuitive. However I suspect that long time Linux users probably think the same
about Windows. There is a learning curve.
Adobe still refuses to make Acrobat or Creative Suite available on Linux.
DID YOU KNOW?
Apple IOS and Chromebooks are simply customized versions of Linux that are highly locked
down.
#0002 Increased Website Visibility
September 8, 2024, Last Updated February 3,
2025
This
blog post was enhanced with AI on 1/08/25.
Our new website design from last year looked great, but it didn’t bring in
as much business as we expected. So, a few weeks ago, we decided to focus on improving
our digital marketing skills, especially SEO (Search Engine Optimization). So far, the
results have been really promising! Our visibility on both Google and Yahoo has
increased significantly, and our average ranking is an impressive 3.2! We’re now ranking
in the top 5 for nearly 100 different keywords.
The goal is to get our site listed everywhere, and we’re making great progress. Our
monthly impressions have gone from under 100 to over 1,300 — and it’s still growing. I’m
continuing to refine my methods and hope to eventually offer SEO services to my website
clients. I’m working on improving technical SEO, optimizing keywords, making better
menus, and writing more blog posts.
I’ve kept a lot of notes and even turned them into a full article. However, I’m not
going to share all my secrets in a public forum just yet!
NOTES:
The SEO article has been temporarily removed.
The original article will be provided to current website clients upon
request.
The article is currently being updated and improved.
#0001 Welcome to my new Blog! 'Digital Dispatch'
September 7, 2024, Last Updated January 8,
2025
This
blog post was enhanced with AI on 1/08/25.
This is where I’ll be posting shorter updates, comments, and rants that
don’t really fit anywhere else on the website. For now, I’m calling it the "Digital
Dispatch," though the name might change if I come up with something better. The page
design might change too, since the current setup is a little clunky.
If there’s something you’d like me to cover, feel free to reach out! I’m always open to
fresh ideas.
